The Conservatives maintained their stranglehold on Shropshire with the county once again a sea of blue today – except for Telford.

Labour and David Wright managed to cling on to Telford – albeit with a majority of just 978 – but the Tories retained The Wrekin, Shrewsbury and Atcham, Ludlow and North Shropshire.

Mark Pritchard increased his majority an amazing ten-fold over Labour as he recorded a historic record winning margin for any party in The Wrekin seat.

The Tory polled 21,922, a 42.1 per cent share of the vote and nearly 9,500 ahead of nearest rival Paul Kalinauckas.

The only result to come close to matching it was in 1931, when Conservative Colonel James Baldwin-Webb beat Labour’s Miss Edith Picton Turbervill by 8,096 votes, and Mr Pritchard said he was “humbled” after the result.

“I’m delighted and honoured that the people of The Wrekin put their faith in me again,” added Mr Pritchard.

Shrewsbury and Atcham also remains a Conservative stronghold today after Daniel Kawczynski romped to victory.

Mr Kawczynski got 23,313 of the votes, 7,944 ahead of Charles West for the Liberal Democrats with 15,369. Labour’s Jon Tandy trailed in third.

Conservative Owen Paterson retained his North Shropshire constituency seat.

Mr Paterson, the MP for the past 13 years, took 26,692 votes in the last seat in Shropshire to be announced, with Ian Croll of the Lib Dems beating Labour’s Ian McLaughlan into third place.

Re-elected Ludlow MP Philip Dunne hugely increased his majority, polling more than half the total 48,794 cast and 9,749 ahead of second placed Heather Kidd for the Liberal Democrats.